Landscape lighting is an essential aspect of your outdoor living space because it adds beauty, security, and functionality to your property. When done right, landscape lighting can transform your garden into an inviting and cosy area where you can relax and entertain friends and family.
In this blog post, we’ll talk about the benefits of adding lighting to your garden and our best tips on how to create an outdoor lighting scheme that works for you.
Landscape lighting can add a magical touch to your garden or courtyard by highlighting its best features such as trees, shrubs, water features, and flower beds.
Outdoor lighting helps to deter intruders by illuminating dark areas of your garden and increasing visibility. It also reduces the risk of accidents, such as tripping over steps or uneven terrain.
Choose the right lighting and you'll be able to use your outdoor space well into the evening hours. Ambient lighting is perfect for entertaining guests or enjoying a quiet evening outdoors, whereas brighter lighting is perfect for creating a safe outdoor play area for the kids.
Well-designed landscape lighting can make your home stand out from other properties in your neighborhood. This is because it creates a focal point that draws attention to your property, making it more visually appealing and memorable. The right lighting also helps to create a welcoming and inviting atmosphere.
Start by identifying the areas of your garden that you want to light up. This could include your driveway, walkways, garden beds, trees, patio, decking area and water features. Think about what kind of 'mood' you want to create. String lights are a popular choice option for outdoor dining as they create a warm and inviting ambiance as do lanterns, both of which can be hung above the dining area or wrapped around trees or pergolas. If you plan on using your garden later into the evening after darkness falls, then spotlights or uplighters in bushes and shrubs are a good option because they provide enough light without being too harsh.
Consider using a combination of lighting types such as ambient, accent, and task lighting to create depth and texture in your outdoor space. Not sure what we mean? Read on to find out!
Accent lighting is used to highlight features of your garden such as trees, shrubs, or garden ornaments. This adds depth and dimension to your garden. Task lighting can be used for specific areas such as outdoor kitchens, dining areas, or workspaces, which provides functional lighting and helps create a specific mood. Mood or ambient lighting is used to create an overall atmosphere in your garden and can be achieved through string lights, lanterns, or floodlights as mentioned earlier.
Vary the intensity of your lights to create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere. Try using dimmers on your lighting fixtures to adjust their intensity as needed. This will allow you to create different moods in your garden depending on the occasion. Try playing with shadows by using directional lighting. By this we mean, placing lights behind or under features such as trees or sculptures. You can easily create a stunning focal point by adding a water feature and higher-intensity lighting like a spotlight.
Avoid over-lighting your space unless you want it to be lit up like the Blackpool illuminations! Instead, focus on creating a subtle and natural-looking lighting scheme that complements your surroundings. Use lower-wattage bulbs to create a softer and more natural-looking light. This will also help reduce the energy consumption of your lighting system. Remember to be mindful of your neighbours and don't install lights that will spill over into their back garden as this can affect the ambiance in their garden and infringe on their privacy.
Do choose good quality, weather-resistant lighting that can withstand harsh weather conditions otherwise, you may find that they don't last and you'll have to replace them. This is both a waste of your money and a waste of valuable resources.
Investing in energy-efficient lighting can save you money on your energy bills in the long run and are better for the environment. LED lights are an excellent option for garden lighting as they use less energy and last longer than traditional bulbs. Think about light pollution as too much artificial light can disrupt the natural rhythms of plants and animals, as well as interfering with our mental health due to sleep disturbances, hormonal imbalances, and other health problems.
So to conclude, landscape lighting is an excellent way to enhance the beauty, safety, and functionality of your outdoor living space. By following our top tips, you can create a lighting scheme that works for your home.
Remember that the goal of garden lighting is to create a warm and inviting atmosphere, not to light up your entire property like a stadium!
Mobile: 07725 817863
Or, if you'd prefer, you can fill out the form in your own time with details of what you're looking for and we'll get back to you shortly with an estimate.
Monday to Saturday
8am - 6pm
Areas covered: Portishead, Clevedon, Yatton, Weston-super-Mare, Weston in Gordano, Nailsea, Avonmouth Bristol, and all surrounding areas in North Somerset.
Public and Employer liability insurance
